San Diego Padres news: Manny Machado injury update, Rougned Odor keeps raking, MLB mock draft

As the San Diego Padres and Washington Nationals prepare to wrap up their three-game series in our nation's capitol with a Thursday matinee matchup, let's take a look at some of the latest Padres news and notes.

San Diego Padres injury update: Manny Machado takes a step toward returning

Prior to Tuesday night's game, Padres manager Bob Melvin gave the media an update on several injured Padres, including All-Star third baseman Manny Machado. The 30-year-old Machado was placed on the 10-day injured list on May 19 (retroactive to May 16) with a left hand fracture after being hit during an at-bat against the Kansas City Royals at Petco Park.

Machado was struggling at the plate when he went on the injured list, slashing just .231/.282/.372 with an OPS+ of 84. However, Machado is a key piece of the lineup and Melvin is hopeful to have him back in the lineup as soon as possible. Machado took another step toward that on Wednesday in Washington.

"Manny is going to take some ground balls today out here," Melvin told reporters. "I think he increased the intensity in the cage. I don't know that he hit regular BP yet. I think it's more soft toss and stuff. He is continuing to increase his baseball activity."

Melvin added that Machado put a glove on his injured hand to take grounders, another good sign.

San Diego Padres getting increased production from Rougned Odor

Many Padres didn't have Rougned Odor on their bingo card as the person who would pick up some of the slack in Machado's absence, but that's exactly what Odor has done in recent games.

Playing second base and batting sixth in the lineup on Tuesday, Odor finished 2-for-4 with a pair of RBI on the home run.

San Diego Padres: The 2023 draft pick in the latest mock MLB draft

Keith Law posted his first mock draft for The Athletic on Wednesday, and Law had the Padres selecting a high school catcher (Blake Mitchell out of Sinton, Texas) with the 25th overall pick.

While mock drafts are certainly an imperfect science, Law did write that a high school hitter could be in the plans for the Padres, saying, "...there’s a whole mess of athletic high school hitters they might go after, including Dillon Head, (George) Lombard or Jonny Farmelo."

The 2023 MLB draft will take place as part of MLB All-Star festivities from July 9-11 in Seattle.